Thursday, September 18, 2008

Going back to class

Aghh..going back to class.its like reliving your life once again.
Catching the bus, painstakingly scribbling down every word that the Prof says, every once and awhile looking at the speaker and nodding in agreement.

The strange faces that stare in the huge lecture hall.
This time its different. No more same black hair, brown skinned students. Now, its blonde, blonde and brunette. Most students here.. most people here are blonde. They say that they traced back their roots back to Germany. Yeah, beer and cheese. People here like their cheese very much and beers too.

It was unfortunate that day, that I overslept and woke up at 10.20 am, when the class supposed to start at 9.50am. Shocking. It really gave a little bit of fright of my life. When you could not turn back time. I had sahur at 4.30am and went back to sleep after 6.00am. I set the alarm at 8.30am. And I was sleeping so soundly that I didnt realize the alarm went off.

Thats it, no more sleeping after sahur during school nights. Actually, I tested the alarm a weekend ago and I found that the alarm worked fine, but I am only aware of the alarm sound no less than 8.00am,not at 8.30am And at 8.30 I guess thats where the REM part of the sleep sets in and I am in dreamland (no turning back). Yup, thats true.

Next time, after sahur I shall be sleeping lightly and keeping my eye on the clock always. I never missed class during my undergrad, I guess maybe cause I have a roommate, and when I missed class during grad studies, it kinda makes you not feeling pretty good about yourself. Hopefully, next time, I will be more aware and not miss any more class.

On Tuesday, I callously asked the person next to me for her notes, she wasnt that receptive but she did give her notes. And I thanked her only to get a 'yup!' for a reply. It is after that that I realize that there are some missing parts that she didn't gave to me. After the cold response I get, I was sure wouldn't want to ask her again. And so I asked another student sitting to the right. She was more warm than the 1st. And she was so kind, that she lent me her whole notebook and only asking me to return it on Thursday.

Finally! Someone with a huge heart!! May Allah bless that girl.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Interesting aspects of education

On a fresh Friday morning, around 7.20 I had to leave the house. Cause there was a class trip organized by the Limnology. I am going off to..Lake Mendota by boat.
We were having a lab practical, just this once on the lake. And although I have treaded on the frozen ice surface of the lake during winter, I have yet to take a boat on the lake. And it turned out it was fun!

I guess for the most part, the fun was because the experiment went well. I did had experience using the Ekman grabber, zooplankton net, Von Dorn water sampler and the DO meter. We had about 10 of us in the boat and I was lucky to have the Prof with us, driving the boat alone (impressive!). The Prof is a bout 40ish and keeping himself humble at all times. While conducting our sampling, we had lively personal conversations with the Prof-not usual in Malaysia, where professional and personal do not mix.

I admired the Prof. He said clearly in the lecture hall that " I am giving the best that I can, I may admit that I do not have all the answers, but if you have a question that I could not answer, then I will get back to you as soon as possible'. Such humililty. And I do not think that ever, in my life as a student in a local university in Malaysia have I encountered such humble words! Profs in Malaysia are mostly influenced by the British colonial usually have egos and that means usually evading questions like that from students and even prompting the students to do further reading by themselves, thus limiting the interest of students.

Here in the US, the students are more open too. In the middle of the lecture when the need arises, students would raise their hand and the Prof would stop his lecture to answer questions from students. Although how lame the question is, the Prof answers professionally without making the student feel small.

Another class I am taking is the algae class. It is a take home test for all the exams.The difference is this class has already ruled out the exam questions, all of it. And it takes readings of 2-3 papers and the text book to answer the exam question. And this is interesting and not like the common, regurgitating the notes as most of the biological classes I have been to.

Interesting aspects of education.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Don't worry, you're gonna be just fine ;p

When situations and people may have put you down deliberately. Think about a good song that really perks you back up. Suddenly, I thought of this wonderful song.
You're gonna be just fine.
....



Would You Be Happier?
by The Corrs


Have you ever wonder where the story ends, and how it all began, I do (I do, I do, I do, I do)
Did you ever dream you were the movie star with popcorn in your hand, I did (I did, I did, I did)
Do you ever think you're someone else inside, when no one understands you are (you are)
and wanna disappear inside a dream but never wanna wake, wake uuuuuup
Then you stumble on tomorrow, and trip over today

(Chorus)
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
You're gonna be just fine (gonna be just fine)


Are you not afraid to tell your story now,
when everyone is done it's too late (too late, too late)
Was everything you've ever said or done not the way you planned, mistaaaake
So you promised that tomorrow, be different than today

(Chorus)

You're racing for tomorrow, not finished with today
Would you be happier if you were someone together
Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part
Would you be wonderful if it wasn't for the weather
I think you're gonna be just fineWould we be happier if we were someone together

(Chorus)

Don't worry baby Gonna be just fine
Don't worry honey Gonna be just fine
Don't worry baby Gonna be just fine


Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Tips

Today is Tuesday, and I was expected to give a short introductory talk about a topic that was assigned by the Professor. I had a topic of the defense mechanisms of the algae. And although I had the points were very much at grasp. But, seriously, you are very much intimidated to give a speech in front of the native speakers, who could fill any gaps of words without even thinking about it.

It was a Com-B class and the class requires some sort of oral presentation be done. And the Prof forbids any use of any powerpoint presentation. But you are allowed to bring in some items for display and also make a cardboard presentation or sort. ITs like a show and tell.So, I thought to myself, why don't I just teach in front. I am kinda used to teaching, really.

I had the points laid out that night. And I had asked my house-mate Ifq to be the sole audience. And Ifq had some great suggestions on how to succeed in giving a public speech. By the way Ifq had gone through several phases of English presentation cause he is required to fulfil them. Just be yourself! And its really good to have some sort of attention grabber when you start to give your speech like, a joke, anecdote and sort. A joke works best.Grab the points and speak. And if you hold on the paper you bring, there will be no flow and you'll get stuck he says.

I tried a couple of times speaking in front of Ifiq. Making mistakes,stuttering, leaving gaps of my sentences, but making sure to finish off my speech before Ifq gave comments. I found that, I gave a better speech when I was not imagining myself giving a speech to a group, but to just , solely to Ifq. It gets so much better, smoother and personalized. It gets way much better when you had your speech personalized. You are naturally warm, confident and feeling energized and passionate. Just like an audience would like it. Target one audience, and talk as though you are speaking to only one. But keep your eyes to all. Tricky aint it.

The points that I might be giving here, might not be all perfect in a strict sense, but it has helped me. Thanks Ifq, I really appreciate it.

Iftar and Tarawikh

Blogging does not necessarily means that you have to lash out your pent up frustrations. Sometimes your frustrations may not necessarily be put in words for the public to read, especially if it will make readers feel somewhat misinterpreted and cause such unrepairable damages. Lets not go there.

Last Sunday, has somewhat left me a smile in my heart. The Malaysian Muslim Organization here had organized an iftar feast (breaking of fast) and also tarawikh prayers at the Engineering Center here. And its about time that the new freshman and newly arrived sophomores come and meet their seniors. The MSD officials were there also. As usual, Khrl did all the cooking with the help of the ever willing and helpful new sophomores and freshmen (wink). Hehe

I arrived just in time for Iftar. Khrl cooked 'ayam masak merah', acar, and dalca. It was alright. But the real purpose of the gathering is to bring forth the ukhuwah and silaturrahim. Its so nice to see such crowd of people wearing the traditional Baju Melayu and Baju Kurung. Well, its been a while.

After iftar, we were entertained with the slideshows of the current MSA students. Next came the tarawikh. I might say that, it was so touching that the tarawikh was conducted by our community. It is so much different from the ones being done at the Islamic Center , cause we had the selawat to fill in the gaps between the prayers. Makes you feel really, warm and so much at home. It was enlightening.

We had only 8 rakaats and then the imam, Ustad Wan, lead the witir prayers. How convenient. Ustad Wan then gave us some, tazkirah. Whoa, its really been a while since I heard any lectures in Malay. And it makes you kinda, to be immensely driven into it. Well I was actually, I was kinda amazed but also touched by the talk. Every part of it was, important and highly interesting.

I left the Engineering Center feeling really enlightened, contented inside and out. I really enjoyed that Sunday night. Alhamdulillah.

Monday, September 08, 2008

12 Steps to the Power of Intention

I was flipping through the channels that day when I saw this program that caught my attention. The presenter had talked about thinking about having things that you wish, and acting as though you had it already. And how, you have to get close to your real source of energy. A person not what you are now, or have become by your upbringing, but just the natural state as if you were just created (by Allah). It really sparked my interest and I kept on watching.

Here are some of the pointers of the talk of the 12 Steps to the Power of Intention.

1. Want more of others what you want for yourself
If you lack love, peace, want to seek, ask more for them, than you want for yourself

2. Think for the End
Imagine yourself, surrounded with the people you love
See yourself addiction free
Picture of your favourite yellow car that you always wanted
Instant knowing and awareness act as it is already there
Its the awareness it is already there

3. To be an appreciator in life
Look for what is valuable in your life, instead of what you don't have
Appreciator- adds more value


4. Stay in rapport in source energy
.

5. Resistance-know your resistance ideas
Every unkind thought
Every unkind words
It won't happen, everything that you believe won't happen

6. Contemplate yourself with the surrounding u want to produce
-Being near the source

7. Understand the art success is allowing the path of least resistance
-go against the odds

8. Practise radical humility
-you are not your possession
-you are not your family
-you are not your career
-practise humility

9. Be in constant state of gratitude

-be generous and grateful from the infinite source

10. Keep in mind U can't resolve a problem by condemning it

-U can't shame your way in

11. Play the match game

I am a field initiator

12. Meditation
Be connected to the source. I would say that in the context of us , is to have a deep and khusyuk prayer.
Everthing in life comes in dichotomy, except silence, you can't cut silence in half

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

1st day of Class

Today's the first day of class. And the classes that I registered for this semester are Limnology and Algae.

The class in Limnology was huge. The Prof said that there are about 165 students enrolled for the class. And I see that most of them are like sophomores. Wearing like, sporting gears as if they wanted to go to the track straight after class. Hmm can't blame them, when you got winter thats so bad that make you covered in layers of clothing with only your eyes to spare, who wouldn't want to expose themselves if they had the chance. Its summer time! Bask in the sun!
Anyways, the class was huge and it had 3 TAs.

Next was the Algae class. The Prof couldn't make it cause she was suppose to undergo a knee surgery tomorrow. So the class was presented a multimedia presentation of her lecture.It was crisp clear , and as if she was there. And for next week , we had to identify an 'unknown' algae species and also make a short oral presentation about the various different topics assigned for us.

Directly after class was the lab for Algae. And the TA looked like a girl next door, small framed, , with glasses, cute and innocently geek-like, until she spoke. OMG, could she spoke. I think that she spoke non-stop from the class stated at 1.20 until 3.00pm. OMG How could anyone speak that much. Its like, she was on a machine or something. And it turned out that she was in the debate team when she did her undergrad. And she majored in Biology and also French language. She explained everything, and has she good vocabs to spare. And she went through everything. Such as reminding us to 'leave our attitudes at the door of the class' and 'i expect you to behave like adults'. And also she went through every little detail on the microscope. Amazing.

I still had to do some background reading before Thursday. Chapters 1 & 2. Besides the Limnology background reading.

May Allah bless you guys during Ramadhan.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Ramadhan

Hari ni hari pertama Ramadhan di perantauan.
Pagi tadi I dikejutkan jam pada pukul 4.00 pagi. Masak sayur campur sikit. Dan makan dgn nasi dan ada ayam goreng KFC halal yang sahabat belikan di Chicago.

Hari ni tak buat apa-apa. Melainkan duduk di rumah. Petang tadi saya ingin meninjau ke Asian market tapi tutup pulak jam 5.00 memandangkan hari ni Labor day. 1 September 2008.

Hari ni giliran housemate saya, si Ifq tu masak. Dia masak ayam black pepper dan sayur campur. Boleh tahan gak si Ifq tu masak. Sedap. Walaupun ada perencah black pepper Maggi tu, tapi dia alter gak, dia letak cili 'sambal olek', sos tiram, dan black pepper. Ayam tu tidak digoreng terlebih dahulu, tapi terus di masak dengan kuah black pepper tu , bila kuah tu kering, air ditambah. Satu lagi menu ialah, omelette yang diletak hirisan cendawan , parmesan cheese, susu dan garam. Wow. Sedap gak resepi Ifiq ni.

Kami makan berdua aje. Sebab sorang lagi housemate makan dengan teman2 sophomore di rumah yang lain.

Lepas makan, saya dan Ifq berbasikal ke Islamic Center untuk bertarawikh.Lebih kurang 20 minit gak berbasikal. Kat sini Pak2 Arab mengimamkan. Hati terfikir, beruntungnya jadi Pak Arab sebab boleh menghayati setiap ayat2 Al Quran itu. Dan mendengar maksudnya. Hmm. Elok gak kalau I belajar Bahasa Arab untuk mengukuhkan pemahaman lagi.